class="ui-droppable">Alex Rodriguez is set to end his playing career this week, with the New York Yankees announcing Sunday he will play his final game Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The club will then release Rodriguez, and he will serve as a special advisor and instructor with the team through Dec. 31, 2017.

The decision to release Rodriguez doesn't come as a huge surprise. The Yankees indicated they were in rebuilding mode when they traded relief pitchers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, starting pitcher Ivan Nova and slugger Carlos Beltran before the non-waiver trade deadline, per Billy Witz of the New York Times.